Modelling an awkward and complex shape
don't worry, with training you can do much better. try to see how others model or what they use. I'm not a hardsurface modeler but here is my solution to this shape using box modeling:





use bevel when you can. or other modifiers.

other method includes but not limited to:
modeling with boolean (for easier workflow try hard-ops or booltool addons) then retopology it.